THE NINTH University of the West Indies (UWI) Golf Classic will swing away at the Caymanas Golf and Country Club tomorrow morning.

The popular tournament, staged by the UWI and Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) Development Foundation, is the main fund-raiser for the Golf Scholarship Fund and Golf Development Programme at Mona.

The fund was set up almost a decade ago to provide scholarships to young golfers who met certain educational and playing standards.

However, JGA president Gordon Hutchinson lamented earlier this week at a press conference at the campus that no young golfers currently met the criteria.

educational grants

However, Hutchinson said plans had been put in place to help students to matriculate to UWI through educational grants to attend accredited pre-university institutions in the island.

More than 100 golfers are expected to tee off tomorrow at the 8:30 a.m. shotgun start.

Played in the 7/8 Stableford format, the winner will receive the Vice Chancellor's Trophy and there will also be about 20 other prizes up for grabs, including rewards for the 'longest drive' and 'nearest the pin' for men and women at selected holes on the St. Catherine course.

Lunch and a prize-giving ceremony will follow play in the club's ballroom at about 1:30 p.m.

Sponsors of the Classic include Audi, Dehring, Bunting and Golding, The Gleaner, Guardsman Group, Kier Construction Limited, Air Jamaica, Half Moon, Jamaica Broilers, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Jamaica Money Market Brokers, SuperClubs, Tastee Limited, Red Stripe and the Caribbean Cement Company.